Should we pay for supplemental insurance in case there is an emergency? Mom is 78, is incontinent, and in the mid-stages of Alzheimer's. She lives in memory care. She is not seeing a dentist regularly right now. Over the last few months we had focused on Dad's dental problems by taking him to multiple appts — extractions, cleanings, replacing a veneer — before he passed away in February.
Why get dental care? Infections hurt. Cavities (infections) can lead to heart issues - more pain. Eating is easier with a full set of teeth and most people do not enjoy a "dental soft diet."
fwiw Medicare is actually now doing expanded coverage for specific dental care. It’s mainly due to unhealthy teeth pose issues for heart conditions & cancer. Like dental work b4 heart valve replacement and b4 head/neck cancer treatments. It will usually be DMD oral maxilliofacial surgeon affiliated with a medical school/ teaching hospital.
Without coverage, dental work does get expensive. Even with coverage, much dental work leaves some copayments.
My mother suffered dental infections and had only local anesthesia to pull affected teeth since general sedation risked killing her because of her congestive heart disease at ages 90-94.
Wish you good luck in weighing this out. I myself would tend toward not getting it and knowing she will be paying a bit more in the case of an emergency dental need.
But trying to get someone with dementia to any outside appointment is trying to say the least, and not always worth the aggravation.
Hopefully your mom at least has a dentist that can come to her memory care facility if needed.